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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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K. BROOKS. FOLDING BED. No. 367,695. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

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2 Shets-Sheet 2. K. BROOKS. FOLDING BED.

(No Model.)

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARMELL BROOKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,695, dated August 2, 1887,

Application filed JulySO, 1896. Renewed June 18, 1887. Serial No. 241,798. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARMELL Bnooxs, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Beds, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description. I

My invention relates to certain improvements in folding beds, and has for its object to provide a take-up for the woven-wire 'mattress ordinarily used in such form of beds, whereby thetension brought to bear upon said mattress in taking up the slack will be equally distributed over the entire surface thereof, and whereby the mattress may be loosened and tightened at pleasure,with the least amount of exertion, through the medium of a simple, effective, and durable construction, and also to effect an improvement in the means for supporting the sections of a folding bed.

It consists in the construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully dc scribed, and set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the bed when in position for use. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section thereof, parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the bed when folded up. Fig. 4

. is a front elevation of the bed-bottom,showing the foot-section folded over upon the headsection thereof. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the ,foot-section, looking toward the foot-board; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the pivotal connection of one set of legs.

The frame of my folding bed consists of the head-board 1, provided with curved projecting sides 2, a hinged top cover, 3, adapted to' head-board, its projecting sides forming the base of the bed.

The side boards, 6, which are united at their ends, are divided and hinged together at a,

so that the short or foot section shall fold over and upon the long or head section. A bottom board, 8, is provided for the head-section, the under side of which, when the bed is in positon for use, forms the ornamental front thereof when folded up. ner face of the bottom board, 8, at each side near the unobstructed edge thereof, I provide folding legs 9, adapted to project down and support the end of the head-section when the bedis extended, the other end being supported by the pivotal connection of the side boards with the extended sides of the head of the bed.

The footsection of the, bed-bottom I usually leave without an under cover, only employing one or more transverse bars, 10, to brace and strengthen the same, while as a support therefor I provide the legs 11, pivoted to the inside of the side boards, 6, which in this section are of reduced width, the saidlegs being held in the same plane by means of a cross-bar, 12, uniting them, and are adapted to fold up when not needed within said side boards.

A woven-wire spring, 13, attached in the ordinary manner to the bed-bottom at the foot, is carried forward to pass over a roller, 14, journaled in plates 15, attached to the inner face of the side boards, 6, at the head, around and under the said roller 14 to a connection with a transverse suspended bar, 16. An eyebolt, 17, is passed through this suspended bar 16 ateach end, adaptedto receivea link or bar, 18, connected to one end of a perforated connected plate, 19, the other end of the saidplate being connected by a similar link or bar to a staple, 20, having a plate integral therewith, by

which it is attached to the bottom board, 8, of the head-section of the bed.

A metal rod, 21, threaded at both ends, is passed through the central perforation of the connecting-plates 19 and nuts 22, which may be provided with the usual wings, are screwed Attached to the in- ICC) from the outside upon the ends of the rod to bear against the outer face of the said connecting-plates 19, while similar nuts, 23, upon the rod 2l-bear against said plates upon the other or inner side.

The purpose of the bar 21, which I style a take-up bar, and the link-counections with the transverse suspended bar 16 and the bottom board, 8, is to take up the slack of the woven-wire mattress and regulate the tension thereof.

When the mattress is first attached in the manner above described, the length is so regulated as that when the attachments are made the connecting-plates 19 will be near the ends of the take up bar 21. As the mattress afterward sags or becomes loose from wear, the nuts 22 and 23 are turned so as to carry the connecting-plates 19 upon the said take-up bar 21 to ward the center thereof. The links 18 will then pull equally upon the suspended mattress-bar 16 and bottom board, 8, keeping the said bottom board, takeup bar, and mattressbar parallel, thereby exerting an equal strain or tension upon the entire surface of the woven wire. The farther the plates 19 are carried toward the center, the tighter the mattress is drawn. Vhen carried toward the ends of the take-up bar, the looser it becomes.

It is not absolutely necessary to carry both plates toward the center to tighten the mattress. The manipulation of one plate is suilicient, as the rods or links will accommodate themselves to any irregularity and keep the draft upon the mattress equalized.

Across the under 'side ofthe woven-wire mattress and attached thereto I fasten a light transverse stretcher-bar, 2i, purposed to keep the said mattress from buckling as it is drawn across the roller and from sagging at the edges.

The legs 9, which support the outer end of the head-section of the bed bottom, are constructed with a flat top plate, 25,at right angles to the length of said legs and integral there with, and provided upon one edge thereof are knuckles, adapted to register with similar knuckles formed in the vertical portion of the angular standards 26,attach ed to the inner face of the bottom board, 8, near the edge thereof. A pivot-pin, 27, passing through the said registering-knuckles, completes the hinged connection of the said legs. The knuckles on the said top plates and standards are so spaced as that the legs 9 will have play about the length of one knuckle toward the front of the head-section, to which they are attached. An

other vertical standard, 28, having its top and bottom bent over at right angles thereto in 0pposite directions, is secured by means of its lower horizontal portion to the bottom board, 8, upon the outside of the hinged legs 9, so that the top horizontal portion thereof will project over the top plate, 25, of the legs 9 when said legs support the head-section, to form a stop or stay therefor, while a bent spring, 29, secured to the vertical portion of a stop, 32, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

reduced side boards, 6, near the end thereof, a

plate, 30, carrying a post, 31, upon which, near its intersection with the said plate, is provided A collar, 33, havinga face-plate, 34, integral therewith, is passed through the legs 11 and secured thereto by the face-plate 34, bearing upon the outside thereof. The said collar, which is provided with a recess, 35, at theend, extending about onequarter its circumference, thus secured, is now passed over the post 31, the recess 35 therein engaging the stop 32, formed on the said post. A bent spring-washer, 36, is theri slipped over the post to a bearing upon the collarplate 34-, and a nut, 37, is screwed upon the threaded portion of the post 31, the bearing of which upon the bent washer 36 regulates the tension of the said legs 11. It will be seen from the above construction that the legs 11 can move but the quarter of a circle, or from a closed position within the side boards, 6, and parallel thereto, to an open or vertical position at right angles to said side boards, and vice versa.

The foot-board 38 is adapted to swing from a vertical position, when the bed is opened, to a position at an angle over and upon the mattress and clothes, to hold the same in position when the sections are folded over to close the bed. This is accomplished by pivoting in any suitable manner curved arms 39 to the reduced side boards, 6, and attaching them to the outer edge of the foot-board 38 upon each side, as shown.

In closing the bed, the foot-board is swung over upon the mattress, the legs of the foot section folded up, and the said section folded over upon the head-section of the bed-bottom. This loosens the mattress and permits the take- -up bar and link-connections to rest upon the bottom board, 8. The legs 9 of the head-section are now carried up to their position upon and inside the edge of the said bottom board, and the headsection, carrying the foot-section of the bed-bottom, is carried up by means of a spring (not shown) and slight outside aid from a horizontal to a vertical position inside the projecting sides of thehead-board. The hinged top of the head board is then let fall to its position as a cover for the hinged. ends of the side boards of the bed. The mattress, take-up bar, and connections, when the bed is folded, assume the position shown in Fig. 3.

I am aware that it is not new to pass the end of a flexible mattress over a roller journaled in the bedbottom before carrying said end to a connection with a tension device; and I do not broadly claim such construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a flexible mattress attached at one end to a bed-bottom, adapted and a wire mattress attached at one end thereto,

adapted to pass over a roller, 14, j ourualed in said plates, and a transverse bar, 16, having eyebolts 17, of the apertu red plates 19, attached I to said transverse bar 16, and the bottom board,

8, by rods 18, and the threaded take-up bar 21, adapted to carry nuts 22 and 23 upon each side of said apertured plates, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with the head-section of a folding bed having attached to its bottom board, 8, vertical standards 28, provided with a spring attached thereto, and a horizontal top projection, of the hinged legs 9, provided with a top plate, 25, at right angles thereto, and a vertical standard, 26, secured to said bottom board, 8, the said horizontal projection of the standard 28 adapted to register over the top plate, 25, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose-herein set forth.

KARMELL BROOKS.

Witnesses:

J. F. Acnna, J12, E. M. CLARK. 

